In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan dive into the top travel stories from India this month. They explore Leela Hotels’ move toward an IPO, South Afbrica’s new visa reforms, and Oyo’s acquisition of Motel 6. The discussion also covers key trends in Indian aviation and how Indian millennials are driving a surge in travel spending.

Key Points

• Leela Hotels plans a $599M IPO to reduce debt and expand into wildlife and heritage tourism.


• South Africa introduces visa relaxations aimed at boosting tourism from India and China.


• Oyo's acquisition of Motel 6 strengthens its presence in North America with 1,500 new locations.

Summary

In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, the hosts discuss Leela Hotels' $599 million IPO aimed at debt reduction and expansion into wildlife and heritage tourism. The episode also covers South Africa's new visa reforms to attract Indian and Chinese tourists and Oyo's acquisition of Motel 6 to bolster its North American footprint. Additionally, the podcast explores the increasing preference for direct flights among Indian travelers and the rise in travel spending driven by Indian millennials.

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